The search is over. Science has confirmed what separates mediocre teams from high performing teams – beyond talent. What many coaches (and leaders) know by the eye test, has now been validated by researchers. High performing teams have team chemistry.

Champions Have Team Chemistry

As Jon Gordon puts it, “Team beats talent when talent isn’t a team.” It is no coincidence that championship teams have a special quality previously deemed intangible. Coaches everywhere search for Team Chemistry for Dummies like a holy grail to secure more Ws and skyrocket their careers.

Teams who hoist championship trophies routinely spark inquisitive locker room investigations as others hope to learn the secret sauce. Quick turnaround stories like the Rams or Celtics spark interest. Dynasties like Carolina women’s soccer and Patriots are mined deeply with full length publications promising to satisfy big appetites.

Today, team chemistry can be scientifically measured and more importantly built.

What is Team Chemistry Made Of?

Every coach wants team chemistry. They know when its there – they see it. Teams with chemistry player better, they’re on the same page more often – as if they know what each other is thinking.

The big question is, “Where does chemistry come from?”

And more importantly for coaches, “How can I coach my team to have more chemistry?”

Many coaches have heard by now that teams that hive-five and fist-bump more play better than teams that don’t. Initial research done by the University of California found this to be true in NBA teams. Teams with more physical touches played more cooperatively and played better both individually and as a team.

However, there is more to team chemistry than high-fives and what happens on the court, field, or ice.

Daniel Coyle observed that high performing teams demonstrated a higher frequency of several measurable behaviors.

• Close physical proximity, often gathering in circles.
• Lots of eye contact.
• Physical touch including handshakes, fist bumps and hugs
• Everyone talks to everyone else (no one is excluded)
• Lots of questions
• Highly intent listening
• Lots of humor and laughter
• Lots of little courtesies such as thank you, excuse me, and holding doors

While all of these are observable behaviors, researchers from the MIT Human Dynamics Lab took the analytics to a whole new level. Using some crazy listening devices they were able to collect data on these behaviors, called proto-language.

Specifically the MIT team found that team performance is driven by 5 measurable factors:

• Everyone on the team talks and listens in roughly equal measure, keeping contributions short.
• Team members maintain high levels of eye contact, and their conversations and gestures are energetic.
• Team members communicate directly with one another, not just with the team captains or coach.
• Team members carry on back-channel or side conversations with the team.
• Team members periodically break, go exploring outside the team, and bring information back to share with the others.

If team chemistry is measured in the micro-interactions between players that occur everyday in practice, training rooms, and beyond – how can coaches cultivate chemistry?

I’ve got you covered!

How to Cultivate Team Chemistry

1. Establish a culture of trust and safety. 

Teams built on trust and safety work harder, improve faster, and reach their potential quicker than those with less safe team environments. To build a culture of trust and safety listen more, rub shoulders, be available, invite input, and express gratitude.

2. Lead by example.

Today’s athletes respect coaches and leaders who are authentic. Don’t pretend to be perfect or know all the answers. Be vulnerable. Get outside of your comfort zone. Admit mistakes. Solicit players’ opinions and ideas. Ask, “What do you think?” Your athletes won’t reach their potentials without taking risks and being vulnerable – show them what it looks like.

3. Maintain a positive atmosphere.

Positive doesn’t mean cheery. Positive teams are united, committed, character-driven, selfless, hard working, driven, and resilient. Positive teams are more adaptive, cohesive, and committed. To stoke positive energy communicate your belief in your team, set clear expectations, and praise the process (effort, strategy, or skill) you want to see repeated.

Bonus Download

To help you with team chemistry and positive atmosphere I created this cheat sheet outlining 10 essentials you need to focus on to truly transform your team’s environment and culture.

Cultivate Your Teams Chemistry Every Day

As every coach already knows, coaching chemistry isn’t easy. But it is possible. Having a team with chemistry is no longer something you hope for, it is something you can assess and cultivate every single day.

• Book: The Culture Code: The Secrets of Highly Successful Groups by Daniel Coyle
• Post: Why Should You Focus More on Building Trust and Safety?
• Post: How to Build a Team Environment of Trust and Safety
• Post: How to Establish a Positive Team Environment
• Post: 5 Proven Reasons to be More Positive With Your Team